1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air bag device which is mounted in the instrument panel of a vehicle for extending an air bag to protect a passenger at the time of a collision of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the air bag device for a vehicular passenger, a folded air bag and an inflator are confined in a container, and a lid is so attached to the container as to cover the air bag. When the vehicle collides, the inflator operates to inflate the air bag. Then, the lid is pushed by the air bag being expanded and is opened into the cabin so that the air bag is largely extended into the cabin to protect the passenger.
In FIGS. 5 to 7 showing an air bag device of the prior art: FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing the overall structure before the air bag is inflated; FIG. 6 is a side elevation; and FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view.
In this air bag device 10, a lid 14 is attached to the open front face of a box-shaped container 12. An inflator 16 is fixed in the container 12. An air bag 18 is folded and fitted in the container 12 and is fixed by means of bolts 19 to side portions 125.
The container 12 is formed in its upper and lower walls with a number of aspiration holes 20. When the inflator 16 is activated to inject its gases into the container 12 to inflate the air bag 18, air flows through those aspiration holes 20 into the container 12 to extend the air bag 18 quickly.
The lid 14 is composed of a backup plate 22 made of an aluminum alloy and a soft cover 24 covering the front face of the plate 22. This plate 22 has its upper edge extending over the container 12 to provide a lid mount 26.
To the upper face of the container 12, there is spot-welded a lid mounting bracket 28. This lid mounting bracket 28 is extended along the upper face of the container 12 and formed with a number of bolt holes 30. The lid mount 26 is also formed with a number of corresponding bolt holes 32, through which it is fixed on the lid mounting bracket 28 by means of bolts 84 and nuts.
As shown in FIG. 7, the container 12 has its back face recessed to receive the inflator 16. Moreover, this back face is slitted at 36 to introduce the injected gases of the inflator 16 into the container 12. The inflator 16 is held in the container 12 by an inflator cover 38. This inflator cover 38 is fixed on the container 12 by means of bolts 40. Numeral 42 designates slits for passing the bolts 40 therethrough. When the inflator 16 operates, the lid 14 is pushed, as indicated in broken line 14A, by the air bag, and is opened into the cabin, as shown by an arrow 14B.
Incidentally, the inflator 16 is thus arranged on the back of the container 12 but may be arranged in the container 12.
The air bag device for a vehicular passenger of this kind has to damp the impact which is caused when the passenger hits it or the instrument panel over it. In the prior art, therefore, the air bag device for a vehicular passenger has its container and the like constructed such that it is gradually deformed to absorb the impact, if applied.